Hi You can use a variety of methods. Spray the plants with a solution of 'Farina' (potato starch). 1 tablespoon to a couple of pints of water and shaken vigorously. Spray this on the undersides of the leaves (where the flies hide) and leave overnight. This MUST be well rinsed off in the morning with clear water. If you don't rinse them the plants will not be able to transpire and you will cause more harm than good. Any sprayer used MUST also be rinsed straight away or the pipes and nozzle get clogged up. As with any spraying carried out, a 'one off' attack will not cure the proble. The whitefly (or wwhatever pest) has different stages of their life cycle happening at the same time and the effects on one stage may not be detrimental to the other stages, When I had any whitefly I sprayed on a four day cycle until they had gone. Hatd work I know, but no more whitefly. I use a chemical which is available here in the UK called "Provado Ultmate Bug Killer", this contains 'Imidacloprid' which may be available to you under a different name? This is systemic and the manufacturers claim that it works for up to 8 weeks. I use it more frequently than that and I haven't seen any aphids, thrips or whitefly this growing season. Sticky traps can also be used but these are less effective in the open garden than when used in a greenhouse situation. I am sure that many on the forum will have other suggestions too. Hope this helps Tight....

luisranza, Yep, fungus gnats are extremely annoying. As shelbyguy said, lower the humidity. You are probably keeping the soil too moist. I inevitably do it to myself each season. I use three relatively easy methods to control / eliminate them. 1) Let the soil dry out (not enough to kill the plants though!). When the top quarter inch or so is dry, rough up the soil to disturb any eggs. 2) Set a shallow bowl of cider vinegar covered with saran wrap by the plants. Cut a hole in the center of wrap just large enough to let them get in. TheyÂre stupid to figure their way out and die. 3) I use a type of fly tape in the plant trays (photos below). Not sure if you can find them on your area but they do a great job of reducing the population. In addition, they allow you to monitor what flying pests are growing. Just check the stuck bugs to identify what they are. Good luck, Bill

We had an awful infestation last summer and narrowly averted one this year. Aside form all of the aforementioned things to do, keep your floors cleaned also. Grease that spatters around the area around the oven for instance, well they can live off that too. Gross I know. Same for anywhere else grease may collect like the top of the stove. Also - ice cubes ran through the garbage disposal is a good thing too. The iciness kills off the eggs from what I hear plus it's good for the disposal since the ice cubes grab leftover grease onto them. Last summer, I barely could keep on top of it and the only thing I think that finally killed them off was the cooler weather setting in - they don't like that and can't breed in that weather. This year, as soon as I saw them (they came in from my CSA box, a peach was bruised and had a large hole in it with the flies in it, and when I complained to the owner of the CSA he actually had the nerve to tell me to cancel the rest of the summer instead of apologizing!) I got rid of the offending fruit, cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, including the drains "just in case" they had found their way there already, and started to put all incoming fruit in the fridge for a while. Thankfully - I caught it before they took hold this time.

Are those Fruit Flies or Fungus Gnats? Fruit Flies need ripe fruits and vegetables to feed on and can go from an egg to an adult in about 8 days. No ripe fruit or veggies, no Fruit Flies. Fungus Gnats just need damp organic matter to lay eggs that hatch in 3 days but take another 14 days to emerge as adults. Fungus Gnats are more common around compost bins, but are fairly easily controlled by allowing the compost to dry out some. Compost needs to ne moist but not damp. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html kimmq is kimmsr